Reflecting
by simulacraryn
Summary: When Trowa watches Relena from his place in the crowd, he remembers how in awe he still is of her. It's breathtaking to reflect on the days of old, versus the present...


For maevemauvaise.

I do not own this, give it to Sunrise/Bandai.

I had a lot of fun scribbling this little baby up, so I hope Maeve loves it 3 [THIS FOLLOWS "Behind the Scenes of an Inconclusive War"]

When he'd first seen Relena Darlian, or was it Peacecraft these days, it'd been in Antartica and she'd been fifteen. He'd been god knows how old, because No-Name truly didn't have a birthday. He supposed he was their age, but according to the physician at Preventers, he probably was about three years older than the other men he called comrades. So with that rough estimate, Trowa supposes he'd been eighteen at the time. Either way, as he sat in the outskirts of the battlefield, watching Heero and Zechs Marquise fight, he'd been captivated by the brave soul.

And he'd even turned his Gundam Comm's Channel to the frequency she was using, as to listen to what she had to say. Because even before finding out that she was indeed, the Princess of the Fallen Monarchy, one just had to listen to Relena speak. It was just something about her, Trowa felt. As she read Marshall Noventa's widow's letter, he felt chest-heavy. It wasn't guilt, as merc's didn't really feel for their target, even if the target was truly innocent.

He had abandoned all notion of guilt at a young age.

But Relena reminded him of another captivating person he'd once known. Someone charismatic and capable of getting others to do as she pleased. The difference, Trowa knew, was that Relena only meant to help stop the war rather than being self-serving in purpose. After that fateful day, however, Trowa never really saw her again. Their paths weren't meant to cross again, as he went his way and she went on to greater things that he could ever imagine.

After AC 195, he caught news of her while traveling in the circus – but for the most part, Trowa didn't keep up with the news until the Mariemeia Insurgency. He'd been in the colony when Minister Darlian had been abducted and in the Insurgents army, as an infiltrator. As soon as he'd seen Minister Darlian brought in, Trowa sent signal to Heero, anonymously. He couldn't risk to blow his cover, which Wufei already had done for him to begin with, any further.

That was of course, a long time ago and now he sat in the public as Relena Darlian was sworn in as Secretary General of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation's "Peace Committee". He watched as the honey-blonde hair whipped in the wind and her once youthful face stared at the crowd, pinpointing where he, Quatre and Duo sat in the crowd. She offered them a smile, never once mouthing anything in Quatre's direction to question the obviously empty seats. Wufei was caught in Mogadishu, Heero wasn't the type to do the whole big shebang and was probably in the rafters somewhere.

But when Relena and Trowa's eyes met, he gave her a smile reserved just for her.

Once the speech was over and everyone was busy mingling, Trowa was led towards Relena by Quatre and Duo. Duo, who joked about calling Relena "Her Highness, the General" while Quatre admonished him for even considering the idea. Trowa zoned into Relena, meeting her half-way and they stood across from each other – the shutter of cameras is audible- the whispers begin buzzing.

Trowa pays no mind when their hands meet.

"Are you ready to go home, General?"

She breached his personal space in that familiar way of hers.

"Only if you're bribing me with dinner before you head back to your class."

"Our vows should have been more food related."

"They would have if you had let Duo write yours when he was helping us."

There's a grin from both of them, his finger twisting her wedding ring in place.

"Are you sure we did the right thing by letting him officiate our wedding? He's never let us live down the fact he 'accidentally' had too much to drink the night before..."

Relena grinned, knowing exactly that Trowa and everyone had shown up to the wedding hung over like there was no tomorrow, thanks to Duo.

"We all did."

"Do you regret it wasn't a fancy affair?"

"Never. For some reason, I've always loved excitement in my life."


End file.
